W500 vs Macbook Pro

So it's come down to me buying between a Thinkpad W500 and Macbook Pro 17" Both will cost me same amount. I have two major concerns. I will do some photoshop work, watch movies, and trading online, and want a good graphics card for playing games time to time. My main is concern is also having a good monitor as i will be looking at it for extended time periods. The W500 supposidly has 500:1 contrast ratio. The macbook pro has 800:1 i think. Both are matte.

My question is the macbook pro that much better for graphics work, web design, then the w500?? If i get a proffessional external monitor will it be equal or better then macbook pro. Also i read somewhere that it runs hot, is that true and how does it compare to the macbook pro.

Many Thanks please let me know


The W500 has these specs(Sorry if it's long):


------------------------------
1 4058CT CONFIGURED SYSTEM
42X6338 SBB INT.CORE2DUOPROCT9400 2.8ghz
42V8173 VBB MS WIN VISTA BUSSINESS 64
44C1081 SBB G W VISTABSS64 US ENGLISH
43Y3484 SBB MW XP PROFES. US ENG RDVD
44C1925 ** SBB 15.4 WUXGA TFT
44C1922 SBB ATIMBLITYFGLV5700W/512VR
42X6309 VBB 4GBPC3-8500 1067MHZ2DIMM
42X6355 SBB KYB US ENGLISH
44C1926 SBBULTRA NAV(TR.POINT+TOUCHPAD
44C1917 SBB INTEGRATED CAMERA
43Y3620 SBB 320 GB HDDRIVE, 5400RPM
42X6326 SBB INT.TURBOMEMORY1.6 2GB
44C1930 SBB CD-RW/DVD-ROM ULTS.SATA
42X6311 SBB EXPR.CARDSLOT/SMARTCSLOT
62P6054 VBB INTEGR.BLUETOOTH PAN
42X6325 SBB INT.WIFI LINK5300
44C1928 SBB INTWIRELESSWIDEAR.NETW.UPG
39T6651 SBB 9 CELL LI-ION BATTERY
39T6442 SBB COUNTRY PACK NORTH AMERICA
44C1941 SBB LANG.PACK US ENG.
41C9338 LENOVO THINKPAD PROTECTION WITH THINKPLUS ONSITE REPAIR - EXTENDED SERVICE AGREEMENT - 3 YEARS - ON-SITE

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and the macbook has this:

# 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
# 250GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 17-inch Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (English) / User's Guide

 

I'm all for IBM but no one can beat Mac for personal entertainment, especially Music and Video content.

Here are some pros for each based on how I look at both (I won't list the cons because lot of people will disagree)

Mac Pros:
Full aluminum case
LED backlit keyboard
Slot loading drive
Precision built cases
Features focused toward entertainment and personal use

W500 Pros:
Fully customizable.
Expandable
Graphics
Upgradeable
Windows (has its ups and downs)
Networking capabilities
Battery Life

 

The new Macbook Pros are coming soon. I have heard Oct 1 but most agree by Oct 15th. Then the MBP will have similar processor and memory. Some are also taking about a price drop but who knows. It should be cooler and have longer battery life.

 

That's totally false information. I don't know why so many people think it that way. It's may be valid 15 years ago, not today or forever.
There is thing Mac can do that Windows cannot do. And there are many things that Mac can't do, talking about entertainment??? Gaming is one them. Also, the OP asked about the laptop not the software...Thinkpads beat any Mac in terms build quality anyday.

@the OP, W500 is 15.4'', the Macbook Pro is 17''. Which screen size do you want???
Might as well check out the HP 8730w or Dell precision M6400, as well the W700.

 

Obviously, this what I exactly wanted to avoid (Thus, the pros only for each laptop). But who can resist the classic PC is better than mac reply or vice-versa...BTW I'm on your side...>IBM"S rule!

 

To casual people, the MBP is "cooler-looking" than the ThinkPad. However, the MBP screen has a more limited screen tilting angle than the ThinkPad, which can tilt back to a flat 180 degrees.

The MBP probably has a slightly better screen than the ThinkPad, but that depends upon the particular model of the ThinkPad. If you are really serious about graphics work, an external monitor is a must, as notebook screens (yes, even Macs) tend to be of lower quality. Get a 24" or greater external monitor (and another one) and you are good to go.

If you want to game, Windows has the greatest selection of games. OSX is limited to fewer titles, so you will have to boot into Windows via Bootcamp to play any PC Games. (VMware Fusion is an alternative to BootCamp, but that is more money and there is some performance overhead.)

You can definitely do graphics and web design on Windows as many of the applications (from companies like Adobe) are available for both Mac and Windows. There is virtually no difference between Photoshop on OSX vs. Windows. Most graphics people tend to pick Macs as that is part of the culture.

For music and video entertainment content, I really hate iTunes and QuickTime so I cannot recommend those two apps. iTunes is the main reason I will never buy an iPod ever again!

Just pick the one you feel is best for you.

 

Heh, at the 15 year mac comment.

My thoughts: Yes Macbooks/pro do run hot. My roommate has a 17" MBP for work (development) and I have worked on a number of 15" MBPs. They just get hot. Unfortunate, but they are not "Lap"tops. Now they are visually appealing to some (I personally don't think so). However, I think the thinkpad quality is superior. The keyboard is not bad on a MBP though (compared to the HORRIBLE macbook one).

I think the w500 will offer you more features, but if you wait for the new macbooks you might have more options. The screen on the macbook is probably going to be "better" and handle various lighting situations a bit better as well.

I say wait until the new Macs are out before pulling the trigger unless you need it now.

My ultimate opinion on macs (os wise): get one if you really like OSX and doing productivity (graphics, video, photo, music...etc) in that environment. You can do all of that on windows though, some just like the OSX environment.

Hope that wasn't too bias.

 

im typing on a macbook pro right now, and my t400 is coming in a week!

 

Why compared the MBP 17" against the W500 which is 15.4". Maybe you could compare the MBP against the W700 which supposedly have a gorgeous 400nit display, something never seen on a laptop??

In my opinion getting a Thinkpad you will not go wrong. Build quality and lasting endurance are to me deciding factors when deciding to buy a laptop. I don't want to buy a crap laptop that will break apart after 1-2 years. I use to change laptop every 3 or 4 years, but now that Thinkpads had become more affordable I made the switch from a T42p to a T61 and I'm quite happy. Really having a cool and quiet laptop is a joy.

Get the W500 I'm sure you won't be dissapointed.

 

I just had this debate and ended up ordering the w500. For me the factor was a wsxga+ screen, matte finish, and a workstation (well, mobility version) of a workstation card, as I primarily use it for 3d.

I don't think either platform is inherently better, but macs are industry standard for graphic/web design (especially since you can test out all browsers/platforms on a low end macbook these days). For my needs, Maya runs faster on vista 64, and for a lot less I was able to put in a lot of ram, fast drive and assorted bells and whistles.

Apple is doing a good job with their marketing though...they almost got me.

 

In this day and age, the advantage of macs in overall PC usage (entertainment and work) are all gone. Anything you do on a MAC you can do on a PC. Lenovo has great build quality and they know thats what their consumers want. Gaming on a MAC will never be equal to that of a PC. I personally feel the only real advantage MAC's have over regular PCs is the appeal and looks. People that buy MACs usually buy it for the looks, the lifestyle or the requirement (for work\school). I would never buy a MAC.

 

The W500 is almost half the price of the Macbook Pro for the same specs with much better resolution choices, no brainer IMO.

 

The W500 is faster proc and you get double the RAM according to your config. That alone shd make the decision for you. On top of that, like it or not, you're going to have to run Windows for most games anyways.

Go for the W500.

 

I would definitely go for a W700!! There's nothing like it on the market... with a color calibrator and the wacom integrated! And it only costs $150!

 

The W700 is far less proprietary. Unless you're needing Final Cut, which Apple bought and uses to attract film makers to the Mac platform, I think it's pretty clear which is the better option. Configurability, and the wide range of freeware and applications available for the W700 should be reason enough.

 

Also Shake is only for Macs but you can use After Effects and get similar results... for 3D stuff (Maya, XSI, Max, ZBrush, Mudbox...) I would stay away from Macs. Get a W700!